The Period of the Omer and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself – Rabbi Breitowitz shares how the current Omer counting period has both a positive and negative perspective. The positive is the joyous period between leaving slavery (Pesach) and receiving the Torah (Shavuot). The negative is 24,000 students of the great sage, Rabbi Akiva, dies during this period of time – which makes the Omer a time of mourning. The ultimate goal of this mourning is to rectify the character trait of not giving kavod to others (“love your neighbor as yourself”). Watch the video to get filled in on all the details in between.
Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz – In this podcast, Rabbi Tatz focuses on how counting the Omer helps build us up piece by piece, step by step towards the destination. Always an interesting question of why we don’t count “Day 50” when the Torah itself says count fifty days – listen in for the answer.
Rabbi David Yisrael Kalmus – This is a re-posted lecture from a year about when Rabbi Kalmus had just moved to Eretz Yisroel (Israel). He shares a clear and concise blueprint of the path to inner peace. This can be a major stress reducer and path to freedom to those of us who struggle with day to day life. Highly recommended!
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz – Shares a balanced approach about the modern State of Israel Independence’s holiday celebration and the various perspectives both positive and negative. The most important message of the lecture was the concept of gratitude and it’s very foundation in the Jewish people’s name (Yehudim). The focus on the glass being half full (positive orientation) results in a postive orientation reflected back on oneself.
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz – Shares about the Omer period of time that we are in between Pesach and Shavuot and explains some very interesting disagreements between Jews of the past and present on when actually to start counting the Omer. The Rabbi made some very clear distinctions about the difference between Shabbat and the Jewish Holidays and our relationship as Jews to each one (a fascinating discussion).
The first video focuses on a commonly discussed topic, Tzedaka (Charity). It’s always good to get several different viewpoints to learn the various aspects of this important mitzvah.
The second video focuses on the Sfira (the current daily counting period we are currently in between Pesach and Shavuot) and what the Jews are trying to rectify during this time period.
Tzedaka – Charity | Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz
Weekly Hashkafa Shiur #94 | The Tikun Process of Passover – Part 4 – Removing the Zohama | Rabbi Mendel Kessin
Rabbi Aaron Dovid Poston – Shares with us the most recent Parasha (Kedoshim) and the importance of honoring your parents both for Jews and non-Jews alike.
Shulchan Aruch, Din Makom Hara’oy L’hispalel v’Holeich BaDerech
In these three short videos, Rabbi Zajac explains one’s conduct in Shul (the Synagogue) both inside, on the way to, and/or when one is exempt from. It’s helpful to learn the sources of a lot of what we observe others do in and around shul attendance and to understand that those (sometimes “strange”) behaviors have sources that are based on spiritual foundations.
Two great podcasts where Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz shares with us how the World we leave in is designed with both male and female attributes on both a macro and micro level. This natural balance gives us a whole new perspective and how Torah and Mitzvot serve as the foundation of this paradigm.
Torah Cause of Reality – Written Torah
The second podcast is a bit early as it talks about Shavuot which is coming up in about a month and a half, but again the paradigm shift it reveals that Torah is not a reflection of what we see in this World, but that this World is a reflection/projection of the Torah itself (i.e. that Torah is the cause of reality).